Free MisMatch (A Humorous Contemporary Romance) by Nana Malone Page B

might have a more successful relationship with.” Then
she added for good measure, “I take my job very seriously, Mr.
Marks.”
    “Samson. You can at least use my name.”
    For some reason, Jessica felt like her name
was Delilah and someone had just sold her a pair of shears. “Okay,
Samson. You’ve got yourself a deal. We’ll start with a larger
opening where you’ll perform, and we’ll display your pieces.
Anything that doesn’t sell, and any new pieces you come up with for
the next six months, will be displayed in my gallery. The official
opening is in a few weeks. You’ll be one of my flagship artists.
After that, we’ll open up your platform by doing smaller, more
intimate shows for the glitterati set. This is going to take a lot
of work and time. I need to see your work.”
    “I understand, and you won’t be sorry. Why
don’t you come by tomorrow to see some pieces?”
    ***
    After Jessica and Samson dispensed with the
contract and he left, Izzy didn’t waste any time. “Girl, you
weren’t kidding when you said he was good-looking.”
    “I'm telling you, I couldn't have made him
up if I tried.” Jessica followed Izzy back into her studio.
    “And holy charming. I thought Jason ‘On’ was
a sight, but that guy takes the cake. Makes me fantasize about all
kinds of things.”
    Jessica smacked Izzy on the arm. “You
already have your too-good-looking-for-words bad boy. Let me ogle
mine.”
    Izzy shrugged. “Just saying. I'm married,
not dead.”
Jessica frowned. “There was just something a little off about
him.”
    “Really?” Izzy raised an eyebrow and put a
hand on her hip. “You discover that after you sleep with him?”
    “No, not like that. Remember, I have
excellent crazy-dar. If they are crazy, then I immediately want to
have their babies.”
    Izzy laughed then got back to work. “So
what's the problem?”
    Jessica reached for the fleeting thread of
what was bothering her, but apparently it had been slathered in
bacon grease, and she couldn't grasp it. “Ah, I wish I knew. It's
like he was too slick and charming. On Friday, he was super
controlled. It's kind of why I even gave him a shot. I wanted to
mess him up. He seemed so still.” Until he danced. “Today, he was
just so loose and slippery. Less intense somehow. Does that even
make any sense?”
    “Yeah, actually it does. It's kind of like
Jason in the early days. There was this kind of persona he put on
for the public world, but in private he was very different. It used
to give me whiplash. But obviously, he had a good reason for it.
Too many people get close, then you start to feel exposed.”
    “Maybe you’re right.”
    “You okay with managing him?” she asked as
she went back to unpacking her latest piece from her last show.
    “He's good. Like really good. And he works
the crowd like a rock star. All without anybody even seeing that
pretty boy puss of his. Maybe that's part of the appeal. To
separate himself from the artist. Cause you should have seen all
the crazy women there trying to get a piece of him.”
    “All that without seeing him?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Then looks like you have the makings of a
star on your hands.”
    “Let's hope so. I need to see the actual
work he produces first. It would be ideal if it was actually good
and not just shocking and provocative. I can market the performer,
but I can sell the artist. May—” The front office bells chimed
again interrupting her. “He probably forgot something.”
    She told herself that she didn't stop in the
hallway to recheck her lipstick before going out to see him again.
It was all about the little lies she allowed herself.
    “What did you forget? You already have my
last name this ti—” She halted at the sight of her stepfather
standing in the foyer. “Karl, what are you doing here?” Running up
in her bare feet, she hugged him. “God, it's good to see you. It’s
been like three months. Every time I come by to check on you, Mom
says you're traveling